I have one kidney and I'm being told I have Stage 2 kidney disease. I gave my father a kidney 13 years ago and since then I've always been told that my creatinine level is just above normal. My most resent creatinine level was 1.4. That was on 7/29/09. Creatinine level was 1.6 in June. The doctor says my GFR is 61.

The problem I have with this is I have no signs of Kidney failure. I have no high blood pressure, no diabetes, no water retention. The only thing the labs show is the creatinine level is above normal. Normal being 1.0.

Is there anyone who can explain why this is??????

Thanks for your Reply!

1 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Above normal Creatinine levelsI have one kidney and I'm being told I have Stage 2 kidney disease. I gave my father a kidney 13 years ago and since then I've always been told that my creatinine level is just above normal. My most resent creatinine level was 1.4. That was on 7/29/09. Creatinine level was 1.6 in June. The doctor says my GFR is 61.

The problem I have with this is I have no signs of Kidney failure. I have no high blood pressure, no diabetes, no water retention. The only thing the labs show is the creatinine level is above normal. Normal being 1.0.

Serum creatinine can fluctuate a lot for reasons unconnected to actual function--medications, even slight dehydration, a lot of factors.

But since you have had two samples that showed something over 1.2, it does need to be watched carefully over the long term. Labs vary in their definitions of "expected values": a lot count serum creatinine up to 1.2 as a normal value; and GFR above 60 (if it is accurate, which the estimates rarely are) is normal in most labs. None of this takes into account your age, gender, body mass and those things really need to enter into the calculations too.

The next time that you have blood tests done, try to be well hydrated at least for the two or three days before. (Unless of course the doctor specifically instructs you not to drink water after midnight the day of the test.) Most people are almost constantly a little dehydrated all the time anyway; the old "8 glasses of water a day" rule just barely gets by, it really should be more than that for ideal health.

And stay away from over the counter pain relievers like ibuprofen and naproxen; they are nephrotoxic. Acetaminophen is safer for minor aches and pains.

Personally, I think that the famous "Stages" are just worthless. They are simplistic and just do not do anyone any good other than to scare patients. But you do need to keep an eye on the level as the years go by. And keep your cardiovascular system in the best possible shape: eat right, exercise, all those things. (Although avoid a heavy workout the day before blood tests; the catabolism of muscle in heavy exercise can falsely drive up creatinine.)

But since you have had two samples that showed something over 1.2, it does need to be watched carefully over the long term. Labs vary in their definitions of "expected values": a lot count serum creatinine up to 1.2 as a normal value; and GFR above 60 (if it is accurate, which the estimates rarely are) is normal in most labs. None of this takes into account your age, gender, body mass and those things really need to enter into the calculations too.

The next time that you have blood tests done, try to be well hydrated at least for the two or three days before. (Unless of course the doctor specifically instructs you not to drink water after midnight the day of the test.) Most people are almost constantly a little dehydrated all the time anyway; the old "8 glasses of water a day" rule just barely gets by, it really should be more than that for ideal health.

And stay away from over the counter pain relievers like ibuprofen and naproxen; they are nephrotoxic. Acetaminophen is safer for minor aches and pains.

Personally, I think that the famous "Stages" are just worthless. They are simplistic and just do not do anyone any good other than to scare patients. But you do need to keep an eye on the level as the years go by. And keep your cardiovascular system in the best possible shape: eat right, exercise, all those things. (Although avoid a heavy workout the day before blood tests; the catabolism of muscle in heavy exercise can falsely drive up creatinine.)

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